Beyond the Arc : Rants

The (not so) wonderfully illogical NCAA

Mike Miller — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:36:00 GMT

If anyone ever doubted the NCAA lacked chutzpah, doubt no more.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions wants its punishment of the University of Memphis upheld because schools need to be punished when they use ineligible players.

In case you forgot, the punishment refers to the school using an ineligible player – Derrick Rose – during the 2007-08 season, a player who was cleared by the NCAA clearing house. Yes, the NCAA wants to uphold a penalty it imposed on Memphis because the Tigers used a player the NCAA approved.

(sighs)

It was an illogical lesson when the ruling was handed down. If the infractions committee gets its way, the ridiculous lesson will only be enforced. Thanks for that, NCAA. Remind me not to ask about that whole college football playoff thing…

Mike Miller also occasionally rants like this on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller). Just shorter.

Does college hoops have any myths?

Mike Miller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:58:00 GMT

People say a lot of things about John Calipari. Top-flight recruiter. Builder of programs. Shady coach. Winner. Take your pick.

But I’m not sure how often this one gets thrown around: Calipari produces NBA point guards.

It’s the subject of a Dimemag.com article titled “The biggest myth in college basketball.” The author writes how Calipari doesn’t really produce NBA point guards. True, his last two point guards – Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans – are NBA players right now. But both would’ve been in the league, regardless of what Calipari did. Same goes for John Wall, the freshman who’s currently playing at Kentucky.

And other players under Calipari, Darius Washington, Dajuan Wagne, Willie Kemp and Antonio Burks, among others, aren’t NBA-caliber players. Where did Calipari’s get this point guard reputation? I have no idea. Perhaps it’s passed around in NBA circles and on blogs I don’t read.

ANYWAY, labeling the notion that Calipari produces NBA point guards as the biggest myth in college basketball seems more than a little ridiculous. Mostly, I wonder who talks about it. Agents? AAU coaches? Scouts? It doesn’t qualify as a myth.

For that matter, are there any great myths in college hoops? Maybe there are just notions, which are true … sometimes.

You know, stuff like this:

The Big Ten is brutally slow. (Not always)
Guard-oriented teams rule in March. (I blame ’97 Arizona for this one.)
Defense wins titles. (UNC averaged 90.2 ppg last season, 2^nd in the nation, and topped kenpom.com’s ratings.)
Everyone hates Duke. (Not everyone. Just a lot of people.)

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Was that a make-up call? Study confirms it

Mike Miller — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:14:00 GMT

I don’t subscribe to the Journal of Sports Sciences, but it sounds like the latest issue contains a must-read article.

In a study of 365 games, including 93 played on neutral courts, a group of professors found that yes, refs are biased for the home team and “make-up” calls do exist. They also make more calls against teams in the lead – which can grow in the game is on national TV. Essentially, they’re trying to keep the game close.

The next time that obnoxious fan behind complains about the officiating, he might have a point. Here’s the tell-tale reason behind the study.

"Part of the reason for the study came from something my coach used to tell me," said study co-author Kyle Anderson, who played at Division III Knox College. "He said a team can come in and push and shove and grab and hold, and by the end of the game, or end of the half, they've only got one or two more fouls because officials kind of get tired of calling it."

Among the study’s key findings?

The probability of a foul being called on the visiting team was 7 percent higher than on the home team.

When the home team is leading, the probability of the next foul being called on them was about 6.3 percentage points higher than when the home team was trailing. The professors also cited an earlier study that concluded there were more calls against teams ahead in games on national TV versus those ahead in locally televised games. Calling fouls against the leading team tends to keep games closer, the studies said.

The bigger the difference in fouls between the two teams playing, the more likely it was that the next call would come against the team with fewer fouls. When the home team had five or more fouls than the visiting team, there was a 69 percent chance the visiting team would be whistled for the next foul.

Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News says that the refs don’t deserve all the blame, though. Give some to the coaches, who teach their players how to bump cutters and root offensive players out of their post position.

Fair enough. Now can well agree that we don’t want the game doesn’t get bogged down in fouls?

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

'How did it get away from me?!'

Mike Miller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT

If there’s a spot on those ubiquitous Coors Light commercials for college basketball coaches, Charlie Coles just earned himself a spot.

Miami of Ohio’s coach was answering questions after his team’s 72-70 loss to No. 4 Kentucky Monday night – in which his RedHawks played marvelously – when someone asked him how the game got away from Miami.

Context: The RedHawks led UK by 18 at one point, but that was in the first half. They played the Wildcats – flush with one of the best recruiting classes of all time – even throughout until John Wall hit the game-winner.

Coles’ reaction? Classic mix of indignation, restraint and humor, worthy of Lefty Driesell. See for yourself.

(H/T: Ballin' Is a Habit)

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

And now, the best part of sports: The rant

Mike Miller — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:59:00 GMT

Fridays don’t always need to be relaxing. Sure, the weekend’s just hours away, but why not get fired up for that weekend?

Why not indulge in a rant? OK, it’s not mine. But it’s damn fine rant.

A co-worker (and North Carolina grad) sent me this link to Tar Heel Fan yesterday (with a mini-rant of his own, mostly centering on graduation rates). And it’s a great example of how the blogosphere can take apart the MSM with a little insight and a lot of passion.

Did I mention it’s about how Duke and Coach K are treated compared to the rest of the hoops world? Take it away, THF.

New Media Meme: Duke is Back! Duke is Back!

Despite the fact their situation has only slightly improved and the meme hinges on not yet realized commitments from two high school players..

Jeff Goodman earlier this week and now Gary Parrish have written online projecting a return to Final Fours and national title contention if the Blue Devils land Harrison Barnes and Kylie Irving. Needless to say both declarations strike me as somewhat premature. (Click the links to read the full articles.)

Holy cart before the horse Batman! Right now no one knows what Barnes is going to do. Based on what I have read is Barnes is not a sure thing for Duke and calling them a leader for his services might be a tad strong. Duke has had the longest relationship with Barnes and that does factor in heavily where recruiting is concerned. However, Roy has made a strong play for the #1 player in 2010 and the speculation is UNC is as much a player for Barnes as Duke is at this point.

However, the next five grafs take a life of their own. THF touches on why Krzyzewski’s recruiting methods have fallen (and the quality of players, as a result), why UNC has owned the rivalry recently and a racial tinge to the writer’s whole argument.

It’s good stuff, and raises fair points about the articles in question. But mostly, it’s a rant – backed up by facts and sound reasoning – and a good one. And if you ask me, those are the best parts of sports.

Could off-court issues sink Kansas?

Mike Miller — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:05:00 GMT

It’s funny. Planned to do a post this morning on Kansas guard Xavier Henry and how he’s already loving life in Lawrence. He’s bonding with his teammates, impressing in practice and raising the level of play.

Sounds like he’s not the typical freshman. You know, acting immaturely or getting into fights and stuff. Guess that falls to everyone else.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Tyshawn Taylor shoots against Nebraska.

The Kansas basketball and football team reportedly scuffled Tuesday night, which resulted in sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor suffering a dislocated left thumb. He’ll miss 3-4 weeks. But it doesn’t sound like he regrets it.

From his Facebook page: "I got a dislocated finger ..from throwing a punch ..so don't let the news paper gas yall up aite. … real (racial slur)s do real things .. point plankn."

Now, aside from the wisdom of fighting with football players – you know, big, hulking guys who play a violent sport – it sounds like this kind of thing has been brewing for some time at KU.

According to Lawrence Journal-World sports editor Tom Keegan, this kind of fracas frequently happens with the basketball and football players. The KU athletic department isn’t one big, happy family, but more like the Hatfields and McCoys.

Bar owners and patrons know it. Students know it. Cops know it. The only reason you haven’t read more about it is because precise details of said skirmishes have been difficult to nail down.

It’ll be tough to deny that premise. Another fight was reported Wednesday morning around 10 a.m. CT. Fights between athletes aren’t anything new – hockey and baseball players fight during games, let alone afterward – but this kind of constant tension on campus can’t be easy to handle. Especially when athletes start going to the hospital. This isn't to say more players are going to get hurt, or even that more fights will happen.

But the longer that tension sticks around, the chances will rise that something foolish could derail KU in March.

It’s funny. Up until now, I always considered Kentucky the biggest obstacle to Kansas’ national title hopes this season. If there are many more fights, maybe that's no longer true.

UPDATE: According to the Kansan (the student newspaper), nearly the whole basketball team was present for Wednesday's incident. This quote sums up the whole affair nicely. "Mario Little told me football players had beef with Sherron [Collins]," said Erryn Kindle, a KU student. "He said they were talking trash."

And, for those seeking the lighter side of this mess, there's pointplankn.com. Wow. (H/T: Gary Parrish)

Agents aren't all bad (or are they?)

Mike Miller — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:18:00 GMT

If you haven’t yet read Andy Katz’s epic story on how agents influence college hoops, don’t miss out. It’s a comprehensive look (at almost 5,000 words, it better be) at how agents get in touch, advise and influence players and how they’re now doing it earlier than ever.

Don’t let its Simmons-esque length intimidate you, either. It reads fast and covers all the bases.

Whether it’s how everything used to be (coaches dealt with agents, and agents with players after school was done) or the way it’s done now (coaches are largely restricted from player contact, which gives agents more access and probably more influence), it’s an enlightening story that deals with both sides – though I’m not sure people want to side with agents in this one.

Public opinion no doubt resides with the coaches on this one.

We tend to believe that they have the player’s best interests at heart because of guys like Roy Williams and Tom Izzo, among others. They do their best to nurture and develop players into adults, and try to give them good advice when it comes to their professional career. Agents, on the other hand, usually come off as people there to negotiate big contracts for players, and that’s it.

But several come off fairly sympathetic here, largely because of how they’ve presented themselves as no different from the coaches. It’s all about the relationships.

"Baseball players can have advisors, golf players can have advisors, yet football and basketball players are off-limits?" asks Bill Duffy.

Contrast that with this quote from rick Stansbury: "[Agents] don't have time to watch a guy and build a relationship when he gets in college. They've got to get started at an earlier age since they may only be in college for one year. They have unlimited phone calls and unlimited contacts. They have a much better advantage than we do in building relationships."

Seems everyone approaches players as though they just need time to work on them and convince them that they can do the most for them. But while the NCAA dictates how much contact the coaches can have, the agents are largely unchecked. They can talk to players, but can’t sign anything. That’s it.

"The reality is that agents are around a lot of kids," Florida coach Billy Donovan told Katz. "But I've always believed in recruiting that you've got to keep good relationships with people, anybody. I don't want an agent saying don't go to Florida.

"The thing that is difficult is that agents aren't living under any of the rules as it relates to contacts. We have rules for contacting a player, but an agent can do it as much as he wants and can go over to his house. We can't do those things."

That’s a good thing, though. Coaches can maintain an NCAA-approved appearance (read: one that won’t defy public opinion) and let the agents continue to get bashed.

After all, people trust coaches. Unfettered access to players might change all of that.

Gillispie has big supporter in Eustachy

Mike Miller — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:02:00 GMT

It seems that most of the snickers surrounding Billy Gillispie’s DUI on Aug. 27 have died down, which is good to see. Kicking a guy when he’s hit rock bottom stinks.

Just ask Larry Eustachy.

David J. Phillip/AP

Billy Gillispie

The one-time national coach of the year spoke to Gary Parrish about alcohol addiction and what it’s like to try and rebound from those demons. Give it a read. Eustachy is frank about his own past and is fairly blunt about people who have disparaged Gillispie.

"I can't speak for Billy or about his situation, but I can tell you that alcoholism is recognized as a disease, and believe me, it's a disease," Eustachy said by phone while on the road recruiting. "I've been to enough 12-step meetings and spoken enough to know that Robert Downey Jr. has a very serious disease just like I have a very serious disease. It is a disease, and it is progressive. And once you realize that, it's not funny. It's not a joke, and the people who joke about him have no clue."

Eustachy paused and thought for a moment.

"I mean, would you laugh at somebody who is battling cancer?" he asked. "Because that's what it is. It's a disease. And I know people will read this and say, 'That Eustachy is so full of sh--.' But it really is a disease. So why would you make fun of somebody with a disease? Why would you make jokes about it? I mean, I understand why, and I don't get angry about it, because I understand. But alcoholism is a disease. And I know what he's facing, and it's not funny."

He’s right, alcoholism isn’t funny. It can lead to foolish decisions that people may regret the rest of their lives. Gillispie sounds sincere about his rehab, which may help the guy get back into coaching.

Good luck, Billy. You’ll need it.

Geno’s girl blogging for paper savvy move

Mike Miller — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:06:00 GMT

When it comes to newspapers trying to dominate coverage of popular area sports teams, most use the saturation approach. Anything and everything gets mentioned.

Big, medium or small, doesn’t matter. Everyone tries it ‘cause fans wanna know everything. So what’s after saturation coverage? What’s out there that others don’t have?

Names. Give a former athlete/coach a voice and people respond.

The Las Vegas Sun launched Shark Bytes last year, a blog from former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian. It’s about what you’d expect – funny anecdotes and stories from a guy who’s been around. (Tark’s health woes this year made for infrequent posts, but still amusing. You can hear Tark’s voice.) It’s a worthy addition for the paper.

But what about a sports figure’s relative? Is it the same kind of value? The Hartford Courant will find out.

Geno Auriemma’s daughter, Alysa, is going to contribute to the paper’s coverage of the UConn women’s team. The plan is for her to give an insider’s viewpoint and take readers behind the scenes, according to the AP article. That means the occasional blog, story or Q&A. She’s being paid an undisclosed amount.

The Courant’s beat writer, John Altavilla, likes the hire: “Her blog, an inside look at what it’s like to be her, is an entertaining read, and a nice insight into the life of the women’s basketball team you all care about so much,” Altavilla wrote in his Courant blog.

But here’s the rub -- she won’t write anything controversial. From the AP story:

The move was questioned by a journalism ethics expert and media observers of the Courant, which has come under fire in recent weeks for allegedly stealing news stories from competitors and allegations that it dismissed its consumer columnist because he wrote columns critical of advertisers.

Kelly McBride, head of the ethics faculty at the Poynter Institute in Florida, said Alysa Auriemma’s job poses problems for the Courant and its readers.

“When you hire the coach’s daughter, as an institution your independence is compromised,” McBride said. “They’re going to have to explain how this does not imply that they’re essentially not going to become part of the family.”

Let me get this straight. Because Auriemma’s daughter is going to write for the paper, it’s going to call everything they do with Huskies into question? The Courant’s reputation has sunk that low?

It doesn’t say anywhere that she’s going to be making editorial decisions. She’s not the beat writer. Nor is she doing commentary. The paper doesn't even have to play up her stuff (and eat the money she's being paid). It’s simply the view of a 23-year-old woman with a degree in the dramatic arts.

In other words, it’s supplementary content. It’s something that might appeal to readers without taking away from how the paper covers the team. And the competition doesn’t have it.

Man, we’re a defensive bunch.

Whose idea was Pitino's cringe-worthy presser?

Mike Miller — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:28:00 GMT

Guess we should’ve seen this coming.

How Rick Pitino went all these months without snapping when it came to all the talk of infidelity, extortion and he said/she said is actually kind of amazing. Even public figures who regularly deal with the media don’t always stay cool under pressure.

Yet Pitino’s largely been a model of restraint, allowing the authorities and lawyers to handle the legal aspects and remaining mostly mum on the subject publicly.

And then … this happened. Whether it was the local media coverage or that he was simply fed up, Pitino lost it.

(A longer version can be found here.)

Right from start, it’s clear Pitino shouldn’t be talking. He’s working from a script, but clearly he’s angry, and it’s the kind of anger that slowly builds and boils up until you can’t even talk without shaking. I’m surprised he could see straight.

Good things rarely happen when you’re that angry. And this was not the exception. He was tired of keeping his mouth shut about the “pure hell” he and his family have been through.

“Enough is enough. I am saying something. It's a lie,” Pitino said.

For seven minutes, he lectured the audience on the proper way to handle the story, even ripping local media for interrupting coverage on Ted Kennedy’s death to report on some developments that weren’t really new.

“Everything that’s been printed, everything that’s been reported, everything that’s been breaking in the news on the day Ted Kennedy died is 100 percent a lie, a lie,” Pitino said. “All of this has been a lie, a total fabrication of the truth.”

I can’t stop watching it. How do you avert your eyes from a mess unfolding in front of you?

But why hold that press conference? Just who thought it was good idea? Did his loyal friends and advisors tell him the press would stop covering the case if he asked them?

He doesn’t have to be defensive when it comes to the case. Even if you don’t think the local media is treating you fairly, holding a press conference and losing your mind in front of a national audience is the best way to lose any public favor you once had.

Let the details continue to emerge and let officials handle Karen Sypher. If you’re convinced the “truth” will come out at trial, then wait for the trial.

You’re frustrated. Fine. Be frustrated to your friends and family, not the rest of the country. The sooner you stop lecturing everyone about how to cover the case, the sooner it’ll be forgotten.